A farmer still sore over a new housing development near his home saw red and attacked a neighbour with a baseball bat, a court heard.

Robert Booth, of Skelmanthorpe, had been drinking and had also taken Diazepam when he confronted Steven Clay in the street.

Booth was three times over the drink drive limit when he struck Mr Clay with a baseball bat fracturing his elbow.

New homes had been built on Strike Lane leading to his home and he saw that as “a personal affront,” prosecutor Jonathan Sharp told Leeds Crown Court.

Booth, 36, of Quakers Yard, Strike Lane, admitted causing grievous bodily harm with intent to Mr Clay, possessing an offensive weapon, driving over the prescribed limit and being drunk in charge of a child. He was jailed for six years and two months.

On September 8 last year Booth was driving along Strike Lane after he had been drinking and had two young children in the car with him.

Robert Booth, of Strike Lane, Skelmanthorpe, jailed for six years for GBH and drink-related offences.

Mr Clay had been to a shop and was returning home when he noticed Booth making “ostentatious” driving manoeuvres round parked cars as though making a point about how difficult it was to get by.

He then stopped and having got out commented to Mr Clay about vehicles being badly parked and asked who they belonged to.

Mr Sharp said Mr Clay could tell Booth had obviously been drinking and it also turned out later he had also taken Diazepam.

Given his manner Mr Clay decided it was better not to say whose cars they were, although he knew one was his mother who was visiting. He said to Booth “you’re drunk” but Booth mentioned tablets he had taken before Mr Clay walked off.

“Mr Booth, not only angry about the parking incursion into what he felt was his private lane but was then angry with Mr Clay as well,” said Mr Sharp.

He began shouting at Mr Clay and went towards him with fists raised as though to punch him but when he was ignored and Mr Clay continued towards his home Booth returned to his car shouting he would be back to sort things out.

Leeds Crown Court
Leeds Crown Court

Mr Clay had just reached home when Booth appeared having got out of the car armed with a baseball bat. He ran towards Mr Clay and raised it as though to strike him on the head and when he put his arm up to protect himself, the blow caught his victim on the elbow fracturing it.

Booth was pushed away and was restrained by others until the police arrived with the children having witnessed the incident screaming in the car.

When he was arrested Booth was found to have a reading three times the alcohol limit.

Mr Clay was taken to hospital and had surgery. His arm was in plaster a fortnight and he was not able to work for three months. The court heard as a result of what had happened his family had moved from their home costing them additional financial loss.

Mark Brookes, for Booth, said he had been affected by the increase in traffic which put a strain on “the insufficient road links” particularly the lane leading to his home.

He had become alcohol dependent and conceded that day he had been drinking and was angry about the difficulty of driving down the lane. He took that matter out verbally on Mr Clay and accepted what then followed but which was out of character for him. He had sought treatment since.

Jailing him Recorder Richard Woolfall said the offences were against a background of his dissatisfaction over the new housing development and his frustration boiled over.